Controller claims that ASR-9 radar has ghost targets and false primary targets.

Attributes
ACN	261221
Time
Date	199401
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bdl
State Reference	CT
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bdl
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	261221
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

I am writing to describe problems we are continuing to have with our ASR-9. We keep seeing ghost targets, a display of beacon and sometimes primary that is displayed equal distance from the main bang yet on a different radius. We also continue to have display of (false) primary targets, and one due to the digital display there is no way of differentiating between the real and the false. These factors have increased controller workload and at times have been cause for controllers to turn aircraft to prevent merging with the displayed traffic. Also the WX display does not seem to be very accurate. While it may be display level I or ii WX, pilots deviate and refuse to fly through the area. Also the boundaries of this WX are not very accurate. I have shown aircraft 2 to 3 miles clear of displayed WX, while pilots report still in the WX. The reliability and accuracy of this system can be rated poor at best, for, I myself do not like relying on computers for information that should be displayed in real time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT ASR-9 RADAR HAS GHOST TARGETS AND FALSE PRIMARY TARGETS.

Narrative: I AM WRITING TO DESCRIBE PROBS WE ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE WITH OUR ASR-9. WE KEEP SEEING GHOST TARGETS, A DISPLAY OF BEACON AND SOMETIMES PRIMARY THAT IS DISPLAYED EQUAL DISTANCE FROM THE MAIN BANG YET ON A DIFFERENT RADIUS. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO HAVE DISPLAY OF (FALSE) PRIMARY TARGETS, AND ONE DUE TO THE DIGITAL DISPLAY THERE IS NO WAY OF DIFFERENTIATING BTWN THE REAL AND THE FALSE. THESE FACTORS HAVE INCREASED CTLR WORKLOAD AND AT TIMES HAVE BEEN CAUSE FOR CTLRS TO TURN ACFT TO PREVENT MERGING WITH THE DISPLAYED TFC. ALSO THE WX DISPLAY DOES NOT SEEM TO BE VERY ACCURATE. WHILE IT MAY BE DISPLAY LEVEL I OR II WX, PLTS DEVIATE AND REFUSE TO FLY THROUGH THE AREA. ALSO THE BOUNDARIES OF THIS WX ARE NOT VERY ACCURATE. I HAVE SHOWN ACFT 2 TO 3 MILES CLR OF DISPLAYED WX, WHILE PLTS RPT STILL IN THE WX. THE RELIABILITY AND ACCURACY OF THIS SYS CAN BE RATED POOR AT BEST, FOR, I MYSELF DO NOT LIKE RELYING ON COMPUTERS FOR INFO THAT SHOULD BE DISPLAYED IN REAL TIME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.